Ventilator for dry kilns



jam, 22, 1924. 1,481,726 LA FAYETTE MOORE ET AL VENTILATOR FOR DRY KILNS F l bkzv- 20. 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 KIM 77365.5

Jan, 22, 1924. 1,481,726

LA FAYETTE MOORE ET AL VENTILATOR FOR DRY KILNS Filed Nov. 20. 1920 4 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5

Jan. 22, 1924 1,481,726

LA FAYETTE MOORE ET AL VENTILATOR FOR DRY KILNS Filed 1 011. 20 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 reams an. a, ram.-

LA FAYETTE MOORE A CHARLES J. WILLIAMS, JR.., OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA,

ASSIGNORS TO MOORE DRY KILN COMPANY, OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, A COR- PO'I'ION OF FLORIDA.

vnm'na'roaroa DIR-Y NS.

Application filed November 20, 1920. Serial No. 4%,590.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, LA FAYETTE Moonn and CHARLES J. WILLIAMS, Jr., citizens of the United States, residing at Jacksonville, in the county of Duval and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ventilators for Dry Kilns, of which the followin is a specification.

Our invention re ates to an improvement in ventilators for dry kilns and the present invention is an improvement on the ventilator disclosed in Letters Patent No. 769,103, granted to La Fayette Moore August 30th, 1904.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a ventilator which can be easily 'adjusted according to the amount of ventilation desired, and another feature is to form it of some non-corrosive material such as copper, so that it will be acid-proof.

To this end the present ventilator preferably consists of a frame of cast-iron or the like, with a copper vent valve adjustably hung or suspended therein, the preferred means of suspension being a copper pin and ring arrangement which has the efiect of giving free movement of the ventilator valve back and forth to allow the excess moisture from the dry kiln caused by inside pressure, free escape.

The present invention differs from the construction set forth in the Moore patent referred to in that the copper valve in its preferred form sets, ofi a short distance from the cast-iron frame so that it is always open. while my original patent shows the.

ventilator closed tight normally and until it is opened by the pressure from within.

In the Moore patent above referred to, the

end of the ventilator box was at an angle, or.

on an incline, and this box was preferably made ofwood, whereas in the present invention a metal frame is employed,'and this can be set back into a ventilator flue made of brick, concrete or wood as the case may be, thus being adaptable tovarious types of construction.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is an enlarged side elevation showing a brick ventilator flue with our improved ventilator in position at the ends;

Fig. 2 is a view taken at right-angles thereto;

Fig. 3 is a front elevationof the cast-iron frame with the valve suspended therefrom;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view showing a slightly modified form of fastening somewhat simpler than that shown in the preceding figures;

Fig. 6 is a View showing a form of construction in which the flap is slightly smaller than the frame and suspended Within the same, so that it can move freely in either direction.

Fig. 7 is-a top plan view of one end of the frame.

The valves might be located at the sides, that is to say, at the ends of a ventilating box as in the Moore patent referred to, as it is the intentionof the present invention to make it applicable to a variety of different forms of kilns, and the arrangement may be made to suit the requirements of the particular kiln being installed and the work that it is intended to accomplish.

In its preferred form a cast-iron frame 1 is employed. This is the rectangular form as shown in Fig. 3, and preferably has an overhang 2, at the top, as shown in Fig. 4, and the valve 3 is preferably in the form of a sheet of copper.

This copper sheet-metal valve may be sus pended in any approved manner. In its preferred form, it is provided with two eyeletted holes 5, near the top, to receive the eye-bolts 6, the threaded upper ends of which extend upwardly through the holes 8, of which there may be a number arranged transversely of the top of the frame and on their threaded ends the nuts 9 are screwed to hold the eye-bolts securely in place. A pair of ribs 10 are arranged parallel with each other on either side of the eye-bolts to hold the eye-bolts in place and prevent their turning.

Any other approved means of suspension might be employed, but the foregoin is simple, inexpensive and easy to assemb e.

A still more simplified form is that shown in Fig. 5, in which the valve is suspended by there are several holes 8, the purpose being.

. abl

to suspend the valve at a greater or less distance from the outer edge of the overhang. In this Way it is possible to make the copper valve 3 fit up tight against the box or to set it off from one-half to a whole inch more or less. Thus in drying partially air-dried lumber such as oak flooring, which contains very little moisture, the valve 3 could be moved inwardly by inserting the copper eyebolts 6 in holes 8, farther in, thus causin less opening in the ventilator, thereby ho ding moremoisture in the kiln, whereas in drying a coarse grain wood which contains say from to 7 5% moisture the copper valve could be moved out farther toward the outer edge of the overhang.

When a low temperature is carried in the kiln of say 150 there is less pressure from .the inside, consequently the ventilator valve 3 will not open as wide as when the temperature runs as high as 225. While the location of the valve does not necessarily have to be precise, this is a desirable arrangement, the desirable feature being that the valve is hung or suspended and preferadjustable.

l ith a ventilator of this type including the cast-iron frame and acid-proof valve, it is'possible to adapt-it to a brick, concrete or wooden flue or ventilator box. This metal frame is adapted to fit either on.the inside or outside of a wooden ventilator box,

and it is provided on the sides with holes 15, for bolting the frame securely to the ventilator flue made of wood, or these holes may receive anchor bolts where the cast-iron frame 1 is set in concrete or brick.

This present invention overcomes the defects in the former ventilator as the present valve Works freely, does not stick and always responds to the pressure from inside. By employing the non-corrosive valve, eyebolt, or ring and pin, it is rendered durable. The turpentine and resinous matters from various woods havev clogged the valves hitherto used and caused them to adhere and prevented their working freely, but with this new type these objections are overcome as this form of valve does not stick and hang, due to the gum from the lumber treated.

In the form shown in Fig. 6, the valve is of a size slightlyless thanthe frame in which it is suspended, where it is capable of moving freely in either direction.

The cast-iron ventilator has the advantage over the old style issued La Fayette Moore in 1904 (Patent No. 769,103, above referred to), in that it can be located on the inside I of a wood ventilator box or flue, thus ena blingbuilder to use thick. lumber one and one-half to two inches (1-5 to 2") thick, while with the old style they couldnot use heavy lumber, as the frame was located on the outside of the box, and if heavy lumber was used, it decreased the size of the opening, in other words this castiron ventilator has distinct advantage where the ventilator flue is built of wood.

We claim; y

1. A dry kiln ventilator including a we tangular frame having an overhang at the top and a valve suspended from the overhang and means for changing and adjusting the sition of the suspended means to variab y space the valve from the frame in or out according to the vertical plane with respect to the frame in whichit is desired to suspend the valve. 4

2. A dry kiln ventilator including a rectangular frame havino an overhang at the top and several sets of holes formed in the. overhang, a valve, and means extending from the valve into the'holes for adjustably suspending the valve from the overhang.

3. The combination with a ventilator flue having lateral openings therein, of a ventilator frame secured in each opening, a valve hung or suspended vertically from each frame and slightly removed therefrom, whereby the openings are never entirely closed and the size of the openin is automatically varied by the pressure from withi in, and means for changing and adjusting the position of the valveto variably space the same from the frame.

4. In a dry kiln, the combination with a flue having a lateral opening, of a valve suspended in front of the opening with a space normally'intervening between the opening and the valve, said valve being automatically movable a greater or less degree by the pressure fromwithin, and means for changing and adjusting the position of the valve to variably space the same from the opening.

5. The combination with a frame having,

holes in its top, said holes flanked by ribs on the lower surface of the top, of a valve having holes therein, eye-bolts extending through said holes in the valve and also in the top, means for fastening the eye-bolts in position and the ribs furnishing lateral support for, and holding the eyebolts against, turning.

' In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

LA FAYETTE MOORE. CHARLES J. WILLIAMS, JR. 

